Views From the Shore
by Scarlet Scribe
Summary: "It had never felt so good to laugh." / In the wake of Weirdmageddon the Pines family visits the lake for a day full of fun, and in the midst of it all Ford learns what it feels like to relax. This, of course, leads to some inner reflection over what the summer has been like.
1. Chapter 1

" _Grunkle Stan, Grunkle Ford, hurry up!"_

" _Yeah, we found the perfect spot right over here!"_

Ford couldn't help but laugh at his niece and nephew's enthusiasm, even as the sun beat down heavily on his back. Something about the energy they were radiating was absolutely infectious, and as he watched them scurry a good ten feet ahead of him and Stan, chattering and laughing about the day to come, nostalgia stirred within him.

"They remind me of when we were children," he said, and from next to him Stan chuckled, causing the two lawn chairs tucked under his arms to bob up and down.

"Heh, yeah. We were always a hundred feet ahead of Mom and Dad wherever we went, 'cept for whenever Ma dragged us to buy new clothes," he remarked. "That woman could stay standin' in one aisle for years before deciding to go onto the next one, I tell ya."

Ford could feel his chest swell. "Yes…so I suppose you're starting to remember more things from our childhood?"

"Sure am," Stan said. "Some things are still a bit foggy, but the memories are really startin' to come back to me now."

"That's astounding, Stanley!"

" _Guys!"_

"Ah, we're comin', we're comin', just slow it down a bit!" Stan yelled up to the twins. "Let us old men take our time, eh?"

When Stan had suggested visiting the Gravity Falls Lake for a day of fresh air and relaxation the day before, it hadn't taken much for the whole family to whoop in agreement. Ford had been a bit wary at first (and to be truthful, he still was—it had been quite a while since he had visited the lake), but Dipper and Mabel had managed to soften him up enough for him to finally give his full consent. After all, with monsters and demons and destruction no longer plaguing the town, the idea had never sounded so tempting.

Ford shifted the cooler in his hand—yes, a cooler—to stare down at himself. His usual attire of a thick turtleneck, trench coat, and boots had been traded in today for a more breathable outfit consisting of a pair of swimming trunks and a white polo shirt. Of all the old clothes in his closet, he'd managed to scavenge both of them out of a box in the very back, and the fact that they still fit him was remarkable in itself. The only new thing he was wearing, however, were the sandals on his feet, something Stan had bought for him in the wake of Weirdmageddon for this very occasion.

"It's been such a long time since I've visited the lake," he remarked, "and it's the oddest feeling having my arms and legs exposed…are you sure I look alright, Stanley?"

Stan snorted. "You look fine, Poindexter. A little pale, but you're fine. Some sun's really gonna do you good. Think it's gonna do all of us some good, actually."

By the time they reached the top of the small incline leading to the lake, Ford was already marveling at the amount of people gathered on the shore. All along the lakeside people were set up, some lounging in chairs, some laying back on towels, and others splashing about in the water. It wasn't a surprise; the day was scorching, and since Weirdmageddon had ended nearly a week before many were trying to find familiarity, find normalcy in places that had been considered home for years. The lake was no exception. It was the sense of peace nature brought with it that so many were thriving off of.

And Ford could understand that, after all that he had been through in the last week.

As he and Stan drew closer, many turned to stare at them. From under the glare of sunglasses, from next to friends. It wasn't in judgement, however; it was in kindness. Since the apocalypse's end the entire Pines family had been hailed as heroes for what they had done to defeat Bill Cipher, especially Stan for the bold sacrifice he had made in order to get rid of the demon for good. Their gratefulness extended outward in the form of care packages left on the Mystery Shack's front step, from casseroles to gift baskets to simple letters of thanks, and their appreciation continued to show in the way they greeted Ford and Stan as they drew closer.

"Hey there, Mr. Pines'!"

"Hello!"

"How are those memories doing, Mr. Pines?"

"Doin' pretty good, thanks," Stan said, knocking on his head as they walked past. "Now, where did those two…?"

"Over here, guys!" Mabel shouted. The duo turned to find the twins in an empty spot a little ways from the water, waving and gesturing to it so that they could see. They wasted no time in rushing over and depositing their supplies on the dirt ground, and while Ford went about setting up the area, Stan beamed at them.

"Good spot-pickin', kids!" he declared, reaching down to give an affectionate noogie to each twin. "Couldn't have found a better one myself!"

"Well we _are_ kind of the best," Mabel said as she smoothed down her hair, shrugging casually. Then she quickly added in a smug tone, "but _I_ found it though."

Dipper frowned and shoved her shoulder, making her stumble a bit. "Hey, don't take all the credit, we both found it!"

"Alright, that's enough of that," Stan said loudly, silencing them. "Help my brother and I set up, won't you? You two can bicker all you want when you're away from us, in the _water."_

Ford finished setting up the last items—the chairs—and shook his head. "I don't think that will be necessary. Most everything is ready, so I suppose you children can go ahead and—"

" _Wait_ a minute. Not so fast," Stan cut in sharply. He kneeled down to grab the large tote bag they had brought with them, unzipping it and peering inside. "You knuckleheads got everything you need? Towels, goggles?"

"Check!" Dipper said.

"Double check!" Mabel mirrored.

Ford watched silently as the three went through their little checklist, smiling a bit at his brother's obvious hovering. Then Stan pulled a bottle of _something_ out of the bag, and it was hard for him not to notice the way Dipper's face fell at the sight of it.

"Awww, Grunkle Stan, do we have to?" he complained.

"Of course you have to," Stan said, voice stern. "What, you think I'm gonna let you run out there into that scorching sun with nothing to protect ya? You know the rules. You gotta put on sunscreen before you get in the water."

"But—"

" _Not buts._ Coat up or you don't swim."

Dipper looked helplessly to Ford.

"I'm afraid you should, my boy," he said, expression sympathetic. "The sun's ultraviolet rays _are_ very harmful to your skin—in just ten minutes you can find yourself burnt to a crisp, especially in these harsh temperatures."

Mabel nodded. "Grunkle Ford is right. I can handle it though, Grunkle Stan," she said, taking the bottle from his hands and using it to point to her brother. "Dipper just doesn't care about his skin like I do."

"I just think it's a waste of time!" he retorted, stomping his foot. "And I don't like the way it feels on my skin, it's really slimy and cold, and—"

"You say that now, but you're gonna regret it later when you're beet red and peelin' like an orange," Stan cut in. "You know you get sunburn worse than your sister, so just put it on, kid. Or do you want me to do it for you?"

Ford could only laugh as Dipper's face lit up a bright scarlet. "No! Uh, I mean I can do it myself! I'm not a little kid!" He snatched the bottle from his sister's hands, popped it open, and squeezed a generous glob into his hand before spreading it onto his arms. "See?"

Within minutes the two were prepped and ready for swimming, every exposed limb lathered in sunscreen right down to their noses, courtesy of Stanley Pines. Ford joined him in waving them off, and when they were out of earshot, he shuffled over to his twin.

"I can't believe I nearly forgot about that," he said, chuckling as he sat down in one of the lawn chairs. "I suppose when you're trapped between dimensions you aren't exactly worrying about applying sunblock—I wasn't aware that Dipper had such a bad reputation with it."

"The kid's just impatient," Stan said as he sunk down into his own chair. "He _claims_ he doesn't enjoy the feeling, but truth is he's reckless and hardly thinks twice about his wellbeing before diving into things. You don't even know how many times he's walked in from being outside all day covered head to toe in dirt and scrapes because he wasn't more careful before going out."

"Heh…he reminds me of you when you were younger. And me too, I suppose," Ford chuckled.

"Ya got that right." Stan leaned over to peek into their cooler and soon withdrew two sodas, throwing one to him. Ford caught it with ease and immediately cracked it open, murmuring his appreciative thanks before taking a long swig. The next few seconds were silent as they both drank, and then Stan broke the spell with a long sigh.

"Ahhhh, isn't this great, Ford?" he said, voice brimming with bliss. He gestured all around himself, can swinging along with him in his hand. "We're heroes, the town loves us, it's a beautiful day…what else could anyone ask for?"

Ford smiled. "Yes, you certainly picked a nice day to come out here. But, ah…" He paused, scratching the side of his head. "What do we do now?"

"I'll tell ya what we're gonna do," Stan said as he set down his soda. In seconds he was leaning back, shucking his sandals off into the dirt. "We're gonna kick back and relax."

 _Relax_ …huh. When Ford scoured his brain, he was surprised to find that he couldn't remember the last time he had visited, well, _anywhere_ for the sole reason of just doing…nothing. Nearly his whole life he'd been wrapped up in his research, always on the go whenever science and the supernatural called out to him. He had never really thought about letting himself just…stop everything and wind down, and last week had meant nothing because during that time there had been no way for him to even _begin_ to relax.

"Okay…" He slid off his own sandals and laid back in a similar manner to his brother. "…Like this, Stanley?"

"C'mon, Poindexter, you look stiff as a board! Turn off your noisy brain for one second and just focus on letting…yourself…unwind…" Stan said as he closed his own eyes, his voice taking on an unusually light tone. "Like me."

With a deep breath, Ford closed his eyes, willing the tension in his body to release itself. It wasn't an easy battle. Parts of him were still worked up over recent events, and there were other parts of him, still, that wouldn't quiet down no matter how hard he tried making them.

He attempted to focus on his senses instead. On the feeling of the warm sun on his legs, on the smell of lake water and sunblock, on the sound of people chattering around him.

Gradually, his breathing began to slow.

" _Now you're gettin' it,"_ Stan was saying, but Ford could hardly hear him. Muscles he hadn't even known were tightened started to uncoil under the relaxing sway of the breeze, and his mind, clouded with the allure of warmth and nature, was starting to feel hazy. He had honestly never felt more at peace, something that predated his portal days, even predated the weeks right before the incident. It was a foreign feeling, but one he could certainly get used to.

Ford felt so at peace, in fact, that in seconds he felt himself beginning to drift off. He allowed the sensation to take over him, the only thought flitting through his mind being of sun and water.

* * *

A/N: Hello guys! Coming at you with a surprisingly lighthearted fic involving the Pines. This is _not_ a one-shot, so don't be mistaken. I plan for it to be three chapters long, and since most of it is already written I'll be updating weekly, so follow for all that! Hope you have a good July 4th for anyone who celebrates it!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Warning for a brief mention of self-harm.

* * *

Two sets of sopping wet footsteps were making their way toward him and Stan, and Ford cracked open a tired eye to see Dipper and Mabel tromping toward their chairs, soaked to the bone and smiling bigger than he had ever seen. He snuck a quick glance down at his watch—about twenty minutes had passed—and when he looked up again they were right in front of them.

"You guys should totally come in the water with us!" Mabel exclaimed, grabbing one of Ford's arms. "It's too hot for the two of you to just be sitting here like this!"

"Yeah, come on! You're gonna turn into prunes soon enough!" Dipper said, latching onto Stan's wrist.

Stan grumbled. "Who says we're gonna turn into prunes?" he said, and Ford turned to watch him open his eyes and shakily push himself up. "I—I dunno…it's up to my brother…but I'm not much of a swimmer. The last time I swam it was the summer of '91 in Vegas while I was tryin' to get away from…"

All eyes suddenly flew to him.

"You know what, never mind."

"Pleeeeeeeease? The water is so nice! Just for a little while?" Mabel begged, clasping her hands together. She looked back and forth between the two of them with big, shiny eyes before her gaze landed on Ford. "What do you think, Grunkle Ford?"

He brought a hand to his chin in thought. "Well…coincidentally, it's been quite a while since I've been swimming as well. At least, in this dimension."

A high-pitched squeal suddenly assaulted Ford's eardrums.

Excited and suddenly full of energy, Mabel began bouncing up and down, fists clenched tightly in front of her and wet hair flying about. "So neither of you have been swimming in at least a couple of decades? That's _perfect!_ "

A pause, and then…

"How so, might I ask?"

"It'll be like a bonding experience for the two of you!"

Dipper, who had stuck a finger in his ear after Mabel's loud cry, nodded his head. "Yeah! And you know, there's no backing out of it now that Mabel's spoken. Anything and everything she says is _set_ in _stone_ the moment it comes out of her mouth."

"Hmm…well, Stanley?" Ford asked, swiveling his head over to him. "What do you say? Would you like to swim together?"

Stan seemed to be deep in thought as he considered his decision, eyes focused to the side. "Ehh, well …I guess so. But only for little bit. Just don't—"

The second squeal in less than five minutes came crashing over the group.

In seconds, each twin was straining to pull up an uncle. It was a good thing Ford had already shucked off his sandals, because he wouldn't even have had time to with how quickly Mabel was pulling him out into the sunlight. Heck, he could barely even remove his glasses in time, and now that the sun was directly shining onto his skin he could really feel how sweltering hot it was. However, before Mabel could really take him anywhere, Stan put up his hand to stop them.

"Wait a second, kids. Can I have a word with my brother for a moment?"

"Oh _boo_ ," Mabel whined, sticking her tongue out. "Okay, I guess. But you guys better be ready in a few minutes!"

"Yeah! We'll be waiting whenever you're ready."

Ford quirked an eyebrow as the twins scampered off to stand at the edge of the water, watching his brother get up and walk over to him. "What is it, Stanley?"

"Ya gonna take your shirt off or what?" Stan asked, gesturing to his covered torso. "That's kind of something you do when you get in the water, you know."

Ford froze. Suddenly his heartbeat sped up again, a dozen anxious thoughts wiggling their way back into his head as he remembered one of the reasons _why_ he had been so wary of coming to the lake in the first place.

 _The scars._

While he had been stuck on the other side of the portal, Ford had picked up a number of wounds from a vast array of creatures ranging from small to outright huge. From claw marks to puncture wounds to even bite marks, none of them had ever really faded. Instead they had stubbornly stayed, permanent reminders of his dimension-hopping days. They marred the skin on his chest, back, and stomach in distorted tones and hues, and even left indentations that he still every once in a while ran his fingers over while gazing at himself in the mirror.

And while he never liked to think about it…some of them _weren't_ from the portal. They were from thisdimension, had come about from his own suffering hand while he was in a dark, dark place before the whole incident had even occurred.

Those were quite possibly the worst. Ford had nearly forgotten about taking off his shirt, and now it was all coming back to him like a punch in the face.

"I already saw 'em. While we were swapping clothes back before we defeated Bill," Stan said softly. "What are you worried about? No one's gonna judge you."

"It's not that I'm concerned about," he said. "I'm just nervous about…how the kids will react to seeing them. I'd already felt cautious about the shorts and the shirt, but—"

"Hey," Stan interrupted. He placed a gentle hand on Ford's shoulder, something that eased his racing mind just a bit. "They didn't say anything about your arms and legs, even though they got a few scars. I'm sure they saw them and immediately figured out where they came from. If they can handle that then I'm _sure_ they'll be able to handle you goin' shirtless."

Ford swallowed, still slightly unsure. "You think so?"

"I know so. They're mature kids, you've seen them face even worse things than a few marks," Stan assured. "And hey, I'm taking off my shirt too, you know. I'm sure the sight of my bare stomach will scare all of their attention away from you if it comes to that."

That got a chuckle out of him. "Heh, well…thank you for reassuring me, Stanley."

"Of course, Sixer." Stan reached over and threw the bottle of sunscreen down beside him. "Now, off with it!"

Ford sighed and hesitated for a second before reaching down to pull his shirt up over his head. The warm sun on his back and stomach felt odd, but it was certainly welcome as he threw the article of clothing over onto his chair.

"Guys! Are you ready yet?" Mabel said impatiently. She and Dipper came tramping up to them, and Ford braced himself. For appalled shrieks, for disgusted groans.

Instead he was greeted with two pairs of eyes the size of saucers.

"Woah, Grunkle Ford," Mabel began slowly, taking a step closer to him. Her voice was filled with a sort of wonderment he had never heard from her before—except right after he had emerged from the portal, possibly. "Are those…did you get all those scars while you were on the other side of the portal?"

"Yes," he said somberly. "Yes I did."

Dipper breathed out an amazed sigh. "Woah…where did you get that one from?" he asked, pointing to a series of darkened spots on his lower right abdomen that closely resembled suction cups.

"Oh, those?" Ford asked, still a bit dumbfounded by their overwhelmingly astonished reactions. "That one's from Dimension 25,\\\, I believe. A friendly word of advice: large tentacle monsters are _not_ friendly and do not take kindly to you attempting to steal their otherworldly weapons. I learned that…the hard way."

"Wow, that's so cool…"

"Yeah, look at all of them. It's like a storybook!" Mabel exclaimed, gesturing to his whole torso. "It's like each one holds a tale more fierce and complex than the last…"

Ford shook his head, as if he were in some kind of dream. This could _not_ be real, it just couldn't be. "So wait. You two…aren't alarmed or shocked by my scars? Not even a little bit?"

"Heck no!" Mabel responded. "Well, we've never seen that many on one person before, but honestly? We think they're uber amazing!"

Dipper threw his arms out. "Yeah, what she said! I mean, we saw you had some on your arms and legs, but there weren't as many as, well…the rest of you! You got all of those by _battling monsters?_ "

"I…I sure did." Ford felt warmth he had never felt before pool into his chest at their approval. He gazed over to Stan as the kids continued to fawn over him and saw that he was smiling broadly, his own shirt slung to the side, forgotten. He found himself smiling back with the same vigor, and then down at Dipper and Mabel as they chattered away.

"Kids, I can't even begin to tell you how grateful I am that you don't find me weird or odd for my scars," he said as soon as their talking quieted down a bit. Happily, he placed a firm hand on both of their shoulders and leaned down.

"I think, however, that I'm ready for some swimming now. Wouldn't you agree?"

Their cheering could be heard for miles.

…

With Stan just a few steps ahead of him and his entire body feeling considerably lighter, Ford allowed his niece to pull him out to the edge of the water.

"It's really cold at first, but you'll get used to it," Mabel was saying, but he wasn't paying attention. Still clasping her hand, Ford took slow steps into the water, gradually adjusting to the change in temperature. She certainly hadn't been lying—it was _bone -chillingly_ cold, but compared to other things he had been forced to endure in the past, obstacles and barriers and terrain, it wasn't too extreme for him in the least.

By the time he was standing waist deep, Mabel was already letting go of his hand and paddling outwards, encouraging him to go further. Ford turned to see where his brother was, and what he saw nearly had him laughing.

Stan was about shin-deep, arms crossed over his chest. He was visibly shivering, his teeth chattering and shoulders shaking. Dipper stood next to him looking clearly unimpressed.

"C'mon, Stan, you can do it!" he said, but he did not look persuaded.

"H-how can you swim in something that's so c-cold?" Stan chattered out, feet rooted to the lake floor. "Feels like my t-toes are gonna feeze off!"

"If Grunkle Ford can do it, so can you!" Mabel called out encouragingly. "You just gotta get those old bones a-movin'!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get there eventually! Just let me be miserable for a few minutes!"

Ford turned back to look at Mabel, but right when he did he caught her locking eyes with her brother. It was obvious that they were conducting some sort of silent exchange, and Ford leaned down to whisper into her ear, "What are you planning? I'm a sibling, I know you're up to something."

"Oh, you'll see, Grunkle Ford, you'll see," she said with a sly smile.

In less than a second, Mabel was darting under the surface, a tiny blur as she raced over to Stan. Ford watched curiously as she popped up behind him and took position, Dipper being quick to join her. Stan appeared to be completely oblivious to whatever they were planning, hands still shoved under his armpits as he trembled, but then Ford understood exactly what they were doing when they both pushed up against his back.

"K-kids? What are you— _wauggh!"_ he wailed as he lost his footing on the soft lake floor. Unable to right himself, Stan crashed forward into the water, sending a large wave flying up into the air. A laugh busted out of Ford then, and he bent forward as chuckling overtook his body. He could hardly see through the tears in his eyes as Stan immediately came shooting up, arms outstretched, looking absolutely outraged as he loomed above the giggling twins.

" _You little gremlins are gonna get it now!"_ he yelled as he swooped down over them, and then Ford couldn't see anything as a _second_ huge wave came crashing up over them.

"Auugh! G-Grunkle Ford, save us!" Dipper yelled as the water cleared, flailing his arms.

" _You're our only hoooooope!"_ Mabel cried playfully.

Ford immediately paddled his way over, still laughing as he stretched his arms out to them. "Children, reach your hands out! I'll get you!" he called. In a matter of seconds they were both firmly in his grasp, and he pulled them away.

"Awww man, Sixer, I was just getting prepared to feast on 'em!" Stan complained, now dripping wet as he stood in front of them.

Mabel burst up out of Ford's grasp. " _Splash waaaaaaar! Everyone get Grunkle Stan!"_ she roared, but before she could starting pumping her arms Ford grabbed her, pulling her up onto his shoulders and securing his hands around her legs.

She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Grunkle Ford!"

"Thought you might need a bit of help, my dear!" he said. "After all, a little cavalry never hurts!"

Stan's eyes widened in disbelief. "Hey! No fair! If you get Mabel, then I get—" In a flash he was turning to his great-nephew beside him. Dipper could barely muster out a squeak before Stan pulled him up onto his own shoulders, albeit a bit more shakily than Ford had with Mabel. When he was situated the boy raised his fist, face taking on a mighty look of determination.

"It's a battle, two-on-two!" he yelled. "Grunkle Stan and I against Mabel and Grunkle Ford!"

And then Stan was charging toward them. Ford laughed as Mabel commanded him to rush forward, and he did so without complaint.

As the twins linked arms above him, he ground his feet into the lake floor and locked eyes with his brother in front of him. The man who had just a week before been kneeling in front of all of them, eyes closed and memories nearly lost to the world, was laughing and growling, actually _growling_ , looking positively elated as he chanted on his nephew. At that moment it was as if a plug had suddenly been pulled inside of Ford's mind, all of his lingering worries and concerns draining away as the warm sun beat down on them.

 _Everything is okay…_

The moment he felt himself slip under the water he was smiling, and when he and Mabel popped up suddenly _all_ of them were smiling, and that's when the thought came to him as he began to chuckle.

It had never felt so good to laugh.

* * *

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the fun chapter because it's gonna get a lot calmer in the next one. Stay tuned for the final installment, and as always, thanks for any faves/reviews/follows!


	3. Chapter 3

"Is…is he okay?"

"I can't tell, he's been under there forever!"

Their voices drifted down to him, muffled but not hard to decipher as Ford floated just below the water's surface. When Mabel had suggested they play a fun game of seeing who could hold their breath the longest underwater, he had found himself immediately perking up at her suggestion. After a quick run-down of the rules, it hadn't taken long before all of them, minus Stan ('my lungs aren't nearly strong enough, I'm too old for this' 'wait aren't you and Grunkle Ford the same age?' 'doesn't matter, Dipper, just go on!') were plunging below the surface to get started.

Ford had been keeping count in his head. It had been…well, it had been a while since he had first gone under. The twins had long since popped up for air, and now all three of them were staring down at him with a mix of curiosity and concern. Ford's lungs weren't quite screaming for oxygen yet, but still, he figured he had kept them waiting long enough. Without a second of hesitation, he immediately burst upward, gasping and panting for breath as the world slowly returned to him.

When he opened his eyes everyone was staring at him as if he had just come back to life from being dead. Quirking a brow, he asked, "What?"

"Grunkle Ford, that was amazing!" Mabel exclaimed, eyes sparkling. "Wow, and I thought I had lungs of steel!"

Dipper nodded frantically. "Yeah, how do you do that for so long? You were under there for nearly ten minutes!"

"Oh, well I—" A breathy laugh escaped him. ""You see, I spent many years between dimensions hiding out from various monsters and creatures, so in time I learned how to hold my breath for extensive periods under water. Among other substances, that is. It's…a bit of a long story."

Ford could barely keep up with the amount of chattering Dipper and Mabel began directing at him, question after curious question spurting out of their mouths quicker than even he could comprehend.

"What kind of stuff did you have to hide in? Mud? Monster poop?"

"How do you train your lungs so that you can hold your breath like that?"

"Is—"

Ford opened his mouth to speak. However, before he could give any answers, a gruff cough shook them all of their thoughts.

"I don't understand all the gushing. S'not _that_ big of a deal," Stan said, arms crossed.

The group was silent for a few seconds. Then Mabel's eyes immediately grew soft, and a cute smile pulled at her lips.

"Awww, Grunkle Stan," she began sweetly, clasping her hands together, "are you jealous of Grunkle Ford?"

"Me? Jealous?" Stan barked out a laugh. "Of course not. Why would you think that? If anything I'm the opposite of jealous!"

Mabel came swimming up next to him, and once she was in front of him she wrapped her arms around his middle in a warm, but rather wet, embrace. "You don't have to lie to us to look tough or anything, Grunkle Stan. You're already like, the toughest person we know!" she assured. "Heck, you punched a pterodactyl in the face and took on a horde of hideous zombies just this summer us!"

"I know that," Stan said, and Ford could tell he was straining to keep the emotion out of his voice. "Trust me, I know. Ah—but thanks for makin' me feel better though, sweetie."

Ford chuckled. And then he frowned.

"Wait, I don't think I remember you telling me about _any_ of those incidents, Stanley. Would you mind oh, I don't know, filling me in on all of that?"

…

"I swear, Poindexter, I thought you were dead! No person alive should able to hold their breath for that stinkin' long!" Stan exclaimed, and Ford reached over to shove his shoulder, making him nearly drop his can of soda into the water below. "I'm bein' serious!"

"It's achievable, it just requires weeks to even _months_ of practice and devotion," he said. "I'm sure with the right amount of effort you'd be able to accomplish it as well."

Stan grimaced. "Already told you earlier, no can do. I'd rather _not_ risk a watery grave. Besides, there's other things I'd rather be doing than tryin' to learn some stupid party trick."

"Oh, really? And what would that be?"

He shrugged, a low roll of his shoulders. "Bein' here with you, for starters."

Well, Ford couldn't argue with him there. Sitting there like that, on edge of the dock as the sun began to set, Ford had honestly never felt so content. Perhaps it was the gentle lapping of the waves against the shore, or the warm glow of the sun on his bare legs, or just the fact that any and all threats of danger were completely and permanently neutralized. Whatever it was, he had never felt so calm before in his life.

"That sunset sure is a beauty, huh?" Stan asked, voice quiet. Wordlessly, Ford nodded, taking a small sip from the can of soda in his hand.

The scene reminded him far too much of his childhood—the days he and Stan had spent outside on the shores of the beach near their home, working away on their boat. They would spend most of the day there, laughing and conversing with each other until the evening came and the sun began to lower. Then toward the end they'd stop what they were doing and each take a seat near the water, watching as the sky began to take on hues of orange and yellow, until finally the stars came out and their mother called them home.

Despite all the things he had been through, that one memory had always remained strong in his mind, even as the darker, more paranoid ones began filling in around it. Him and Stan, children, careless and free. The best of friends. Untouched by the cruelties of the real world.

Their lives had been so much simpler back then, he mused, when all they had to worry about was when dinner would be ready.

"Hey, Ford?"

"…Yes, Stanley?" he asked after a moment of hesitation. His eyes were glued to the horizon, where the sun and the water met.

"What're you thinking about?"

He sighed. "Just…just about when we were children, is all," he said wistfully. "Being here really takes me back to all those days we spent on the beach next to our home."

Stan smiled fondly. "That's exactly what I was thinkin' about, too. I never really…never really thought the two of us would be doin' this again, to be honest."

"I didn't think we would either," Ford said. He gestured all around himself. "It feels almost dream-like…like we're young again, running around on the New Jersey shoreline without a care in the world. I almost can't describe it."

"Heh." There was a brief pause before Stan opened his mouth again. "So, uh…if I were to ask you if you'd trade today for…y'know, all the times we spent together as kids…what would you think?"

Ford had to think about his brother's question for a moment. He couldn't help but peek over at him and notice the way he was hunched over, notice the way his finger trailed idly around the rim of his soda can and his eyes stared down into the lip of it as if maybe he hadn't caught the whole question, as if maybe he would just forget about it altogether. Stan looked almost…uncomfortable in the light of the lowering sun, and it made Ford's eyebrows scrunch together in thought.

However, it wasn't too long before he had his answer.

"What would _I_ think?" he began. "Stanley, there's no denying that the time we spent together as children was wonderful, but I'm going to be truthful with you. I was a bit wary about how today was going to go. I've still felt a bit…tense since Weirdmageddon ended. But honestly?" He scooted closer to Stan. "I…I really don't remember the last time I ever stopped everything I was working on and just relaxed, and I think today was almost…therapeutic for me, in that respect."

Stan looked up.

"And not only that," Ford continued on, "I also got to spend the day with you and the children—"

He vaguely gestured to the side, down below where Dipper and Mabel were still splashing away in the water, too preoccupied in each other to notice Ford speaking of them.

"—And really…I feel like this was a wonderful trip, not just for me but for all of us. Especially after the… _events_ of last week. So in answer to your question: no. I wouldn't swap out today for any day from our childhood."

Ford shut his mouth and looked over at Stan. His heart leaped to see that that he was smiling, the corners of his eyes crinkling in a way he hadn't seen in a long, long time.

"I'm…I'm glad you think so, Poindexter."

Ford reached over to pat his shoulder. "Well of course, Stanley. I wouldn't trade being with you and the children for anything."

And that was all that needed to be said. The two continued to stare out into the sunset for a few minutes longer, the silence warm and comfortable, until the patter of wet footsteps made them look back.

"Speakin' of kids…" Stan muttered.

"Our hands have been sufficiently wrinkle-affied!" Mabel exclaimed as she strode up to the two, sticking her palms out in front of her for them to see. "Now we look just like you guys!"

"Eh…sorta." Dipper walked up next to her, a towel draped around his neck and his hair still dripping. "You get the gist. So, what are you guys doing?"

Ford shared a knowing glance with Stan next to him. "Oh, just talking, is all," he responded. "What are you two up to?"

"Well, we're both finally tired of the water now," Dipper answered, shrugging his shoulders. "And Mabel's swallowed enough of it by now that I'm surprised she isn't hacking up a lung."

"Like I said earlier, bro-bro, lungs of steel!" she exclaimed proudly. She came up behind Stan and stood on her tip-toes to wrap her arms around his neck. "Ohhhh, I just had a thought! Is this gonna be what it's like when you guys go out adventuring on your boat?"

"Ehhhh, not exactly, pumpkin," Stan said. He twisted around to wrap his own burly arms around her, easily dragging her into his lap. " _Ohhhh, wet, you're still wet…_ anyways, think more cold and rainy. It's the Arctic Ocean, not a local lake."

"Yes, and also think much icier," Ford added, "and harsher waters."

Mabel made a thoughtful noise. "So wait," she said, pushing herself up on Stan's knee to look Ford in the eye, "does that mean you guys might see…polar bears? And _penguins?_ "

Ford shook his head. "Contrary to what you may think, there aren't actually many penguins _or_ polar bears living in the Arctic. We _will_ be seeing many other creatures, though."

The girl looked disappointed for only a second before she beamed at him. "Aww…well you need to get a picture when you see one, then, so you can send it to me and I can put it in my scrapbook! Actually, you guys need to take a lot of photos period. Like, a _looooot_ of photos."

"And keep in touch with us," Dipper added as he took a seat next to Ford.

"And be safe!" Mabel pleaded.

"Ah, don't worry about safety, kids," Stan assured, throwing an arm around Ford's neck and jabbing a thumb to his chest. "I'll keep my nerdy brother here safe and sound with my muscles, no need to be concerned."

Ford snorted. "Sure, Stanley…"

The thought of summer coming to an end in a few days—and the realization that he wouldn't be seeing the niece and nephew he'd come to care for so fondly once he and his brother went out on their boat—suddenly hit Ford like a pile of bricks. It had felt like such a short time ago when he had first bonded with his great-nephew over the infamous _Dungeons, Dungeons, and More Dungeons_ , and it had felt like an even shorter time, somehow, since he had first walked out of the portal, looking entirely too worn as he tramped through the shattered glass and metal of the broken skeleton to shake his niece's small hand.

Time was so little, so precious, and Ford found himself wishing that he could have just a tiny bit more of it, enough to be able to hold his family closer and never let them out of his grasp.

Perhaps that was why he wrapped his arms tighter than usual around them. As the minutes ticked by and the evening stretched on further, to the point where the sky began to darken and stars began peeking out, the group sat together in silence, the calming scene disrupted only by the twins' soft chattering.

At some point Mabel curled up in Stan's lap, eyes half-lidded. She placed a soft hand on Ford's knee, and it immediately sent warmth radiating throughout his body. It brought a smile to his face, and he returned the gesture with a soft pat.

Around them townsfolk began packing up to leave, person by person, family by family. They didn't pay the group any mind as they started up their cars and drove off, and in return the Pines didn't mind them either.

It was only when the last vehicle sped off that Mabel's voice spoke out, quiet and laced with a longing Ford had never heard in the girl before, that his heart beat just a little bit faster in his chest.

"This summer has been so much fun. I just wish we didn't have to say goodbye so soon…"

He found himself wishing the same thing.

…

Over the years the word family had meant many things to Ford. A loving mother who cared but ultimately never had a say in any of her husband's decisions. A father who had never really been much of a father at all. A brother who had meant the world to him for so many years until he suddenly didn't. And at one time, even, it had meant an assistant who was willing to work alongside of him in his scientific endeavors no matter what happened.

 _Oh, how things had changed._

Ford thought about this as they began to pack up, a good fifteen minutes later when Mabel began snoring almost too comically loud and Dipper looked dangerously close to shutting his eyes and tumbling right over into the water.

Stan elected to do all the heavy-lifting. While he loaded their things into the car, Ford took the role of gently carrying his slumbering niece to her seat and keeping an eye on the drowsy Dipper walking next to him. It had gotten considerably darker and much cooler out since the sun had went down. A chilly breeze ruffled his damp hair, but he strode on, unaffected.

He had other things on his mind.

As he set Mabel down on top of towels spread across the car's backseat, being extra careful not to rouse her, Ford had to admit: growing up his family life had never been…consistent. That was the best word to describe it. His mother and father—especially his father—had drifted in and out of the equation more and more frequently as he had grown older and began forming an identity of his own, and even though he and Stan had maintained a close relationship throughout their childhood, things had reached a tipping point after their falling out as teens.

Once Ford was able to finish college and go out living on his own, he was practically alone aside from Fiddleford McGucket. Their partnership had been a strong one at the time, but even that had proved to backfire. Immediately after the man's accidental glimpse into the portal he had gathered his things and left, and Ford couldn't say that the breakup didn't disappoint him, even just a little.

That was when the isolation began.

The all-nighters.

The distrust.

 _Bill Cipher._

After he and Stan's second falling out, that's when the idea of family had finally fizzled out once and for all for Ford. The only thing that had remained of family, _his_ family, was the photo of he and Stan as children he had kept tucked away in his trench coat. Only a memory, only a picture, but it was something he had cherished all throughout the long, treacherous years on the other side of the portal. A memento of the old days, when things were brighter. When he had a family.

Ford climbed into the passenger's seat, buckling his seat belt. The engine rumbled to life, and within seconds they were pulling out of the lot and onto the road home.

Once Stan had started the portal up again and rescued him, Ford had been angry with him. _Furious,_ even. He firmly believed that what the man had done was a stupid, stupid thing, and the grudge between the brothers had remained strong, even weeks after his return.

But even though they weren't on good terms, other things began happening to Ford. It had taken some time, sure, but in the weeks after he had emerged the portal he began growing close to his niece and nephew, closer than he had to anyone else he had ever known, aside from his brother and McGucket. And at first it had _surprised_ him how persistent they were, how willing they were to try to make him a part of their lives. Heck, he had barely _known_ them.

He had been quick to learn that Dipper was just like him as a child, curious and inquisitive about the world around him, a lover of the supernatural, and wise beyond his years. It had also come to him that Mabel was as unique as Stanley had been as a boy, but with her own bit Mabel charm added to it. She was a crafter, an artist with her very own view of the world, and he just knew that she would take the whole globe by storm as she grew older.

Ford twisted around in his seat. He smiled softly at the sight of _both_ Dipper and Mabel fast asleep, their chests slowly rising and falling in the pale light of the moon. It had only been a matter of time before Dipper fell asleep, too, and he couldn't blame him. It had been an exhausting day, and sleep sounded more than appealing at the moment.

When he turned back again he caught Stan peeking at him with a slight smirk on his face, and he asked, "What?"

"Ah, nothin', nothin'." His brother waved him off, eyes focused on the road again. "So…you have a good time today?"

He nodded, leaning back in his seat. "It was one of the most wonderful days I've had in a long, long time, Stanley. I can't thank you enough for this."

"Good. I'm glad. Hope you're not sick of me yet, because it looks like we're gonna be stuck together for the next couple of months, eh?"

"Sounds spectacular."

Ford yawned as he watched the trees fly by outside. He tilted his head up, gazing thoughtfully at the brilliant stars decorating the night sky and the moon floating brightly above them. Beside him, Stan turned on the radio, twisting the dial down low to keep from waking Dipper and Mabel. Ford could hear him tapping the steering wheel and quietly humming to the music, his low voice intermingling with the twins' soft snoring. He smiled.

Growing up people had constantly wandered in and out of his life, but he knew who his family was now.

And if they could actually get him to relax, if they could get him to feel comfortable about the marks on his skin, if they could get him to laugh…

Well, then, what else couldn't they do?

* * *

A/N: Well, there it is, folks! The final chapter! I felt so warm and fuzzy on the inside writing this. I'm so thankful for all the feedback I've gotten on this fic, your reviews make me so happy! Quick question: is anyone else following the CipherHunt at the moment? Isn't it super cool and really insane? I hope they put together that whole puzzle soon.


End file.
